Vol. 24 (2004), No. 11

NNOVEMBEROVEMBER 2004 V2004 VOLUMEOLUME 24 N24 NUMBERUMBER 1111

THE NEWSLETTER OF THE

NOVEMBER’S GUEST SPEAKER:

DR. JEFFREY BENDER

RREPTILESEPTILES ANDAND SSALMONELLAALMONELLA

Articles in this Issue

HERP BURN-OUT. BY HEATHER CLAYTON

“WHAT BEN MURPHY TAUGHT ME”AN ARTICLE ABOUT LIVING WITH AN ALLIGATORBY HEATHER CLAYTON

Bell Museum of Natural History, 10 Church Street Southeast, Minneapolis Minnesota 55455

The Minnesota HerpetologicalS o c i e t yMHS Webpage: http://www.mnherpsoc.orgMHS Group Email: http://www.groups.yahoo.com/group/mnherpsocMHS Voice Mail: 612.624.7065

Board of DirectorsPresidentRandy Blasus 952.925.4237

[email protected]

Vice PresidentTony Gamble 763.424.2803

[email protected]

Recording SecretaryBarb Buzicky 612-916-7575

[email protected]

Membership SecretaryNancy Haig 612.434.8684

[email protected] Bosman 763.476.0306

[email protected]

Newsletter EditorBill Moss 651.341.2093

[email protected]

Members at LargeHeather Clayton 612.788.4664

Nancy Hakomaki [email protected]

Mike Bush [email protected]

Jodi L. Aherns [email protected]

CommitteesAdoptionSarah Richard 612.781.9544

[email protected]

EducationJan Larson 507.263.4391

[email protected]

LibraryBeth Girard 763.691.1650

[email protected]

WebmasterAnke Reinders

[email protected]

Herp AssistanceAmphibiansGreg Kvanbek 651.388.0305John Meltzer 763.263.7880

ChameleonsVern & Laurie Grassel 763-428-4625

Crocodilians Jeff Lang 651 646 0203Bill Moss 651.488.1383

LizardsNancy Haig 763.434.8684

Large Boas, PythonsTina Cisewski 612.856.2865

Other SnakesJeff Leclere 651.488.6388John Meltzer 763.263.7880

Aquatic TurtlesJohn Levell 507.467.3076John Moriarty 651.482.8109

Terrestrial TurtlesFred Bosman 763.476.0306John Levell 507.467.3076

The Purpose of the Minnesota Herpetological Society is to:• Further the education of the membership and the general public in

care and captive propagation of reptiles and amphibians;• Educate the members and the general public in the ecological role

of reptiles and amphibians;• Promote the study and conservation of reptiles and amphibians.

The Minnesota Herpetological Society is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization.Membership is open to all individuals with an interest in amphibians and reptiles. TheMinnesota Herpetological Society Newsletter is published monthly to provide its memberswith information concerning the society’s activities and a media for exchanging informa-tion, opinions and resources.

General Meetings are held at Borlaug Hall, Room 335 on the St. Paul Campus of theUniversity of Minnesota, on the first Friday of each month (unless there is a holidayconflict). The meeting starts at 7:00pm and lasts about three hours. Please check theMHS Voice mail for changes in schedules or cancellations.

Submissions to the NewsletterAds or Notices must be submitted no later than the night of the General Meeting to beincluded in the next issue. Longer articles will be printed as time and space allows andshould be in electronic file format if possible. See inside back cover for ad rates.Submissions may be sent to:

-or-The Minnesota Herpetological Society Bill MossAttn: Newsletter Editor 75 Geranium Ave EastBell museum of Natural History Saint Paul, MN 5511710 Church St. SE. -or-Minneapolis, MN 55455.0104 [email protected]

Copyright 2004, Minnesota Herpetological Society. Except where noted, contents may be reproduced for non-profit, non-commercial use only. All material must be reproduced without change. Proper credit will be given

including the author/photographer and the MHS Newsletter citing: volume, number and date.

The Newsletter of the Minnesota Herpetological Society November 2004 Volume 24 Number 11

The Vice-Presidents ReportBy Tony Gamble

Friday, November 5th, 2004, 7:00 PM

Program:Reptiles and Salmonella

Guest Speaker:Dr. Jeffrey Bender

Diseases that can be transmitted from animals tohumans are called zoonotic diseases or zoonoses.One of the most common bacterial zoonoses isSalmonella which can be contracted from cows, dogs,cats, horses, poultry, and reptiles. The threat of con-tracting Salmonella from pet reptiles has led to legis-

lation regarding the sale and possession of pet rep-tiles in the United States. Baby turtles, for example,are prohibited from sale in the U.S. unless for educa-tional or display purposes and pet reptiles are prohib-ited from licensed day care centers in Minnesota.While herpetoculturists may debate the efficiency ofsuch legislation, the possibility of contractingSalmonella from reptiles is real and certain demo-

graphics (young children and immunocompromisedpersons) are at particularly high risk and should avoidcontact with reptiles. Public education outlining therisks of contracting Salmonella from reptiles and theproper handling of reptiles is crucial in reducing theincidence of reptile-related zoonoses. The Centersfor Disease Control (CDC) have issued several rec-ommendations to reduce the incidence of reptile-relat-ed Salmonellosis (see box) and MHS members areencouraged to read and follow these recommenda-tions. The CDC recommendations have also beenposted on the MHS website.

November’s speaker, Dr. Jeffery Bender, will discussthe risks of reptile-related Salmonella. Dr. Bender isan Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota,and holds joint appointments in the College ofVeterinary Medicine and the School of Public Health.He received both a veterinary medical degree and anM.S. in epidemiology from the University of Minnesotaand has operated both large and small animal clinics.He worked for the Minnesota Department of Healthfrom 1995 through 1999 providing expertise on infec-tious diseases to other state agencies, health profes-sional, news media, and the public, as well as designand monitor disease surveillance systems, conductoutbreak investigations and provide veterinary care toanimals in the MDH public health laboratory. Dr.Bender is a coauthor of “Reptiles, Amphibians, andHuman Salmonella Infection: A Population-Based,Case-Control Study” which appeared in the journalClinical Infectious Diseases earlier this year. Dr.Bender’s primary research interests are emergingzoonotic diseases, food safety, antimicrobial resist-ance, and bioterrorism.

This is Dr. Bender’s second talk to the MHS (previ-ously in 1997) and will be loaded with information onreducing the incidence of reptile-relatedSalmonellosis. If you own a pet reptile you should seethis talk.

Upcoming Meetings: Friday, December 3rd, 2004 Allen Salzberg - HerpDigest: Herps, conserva-

tion, and the internetSaturday, December 4th, 2004 – Holiday banquet

Anita Salzberg – Confessions of a turtle wife

Hatchling Red Eared Sliders (Trachemys scripta)

Cover: Northern Fence Lizard (Sceloporus undulatushyacinthinus) photo by John White


News, Notes & Announcements

Adoption Reportby Sarah Richard, Adoption Chair

Interesting month for Adoptions.

We did find a home for the littleAlligator that graced the pond atfestival.

Also placed were:Water Dragon; Sulcata 1.0; AfricanSide Neck 1.0; Leopard Gecko;Burmese Python; Burmese Python,Albino.

Still looking for homes:14 Iguanas; Red Eared Slider 3.1;Tokay Gecko 1.0; SavannahMonitor; Spectacled Caiman.

Anyone in the society interested inthese animals (except the Iguanas)may contact me at:[email protected]

Iguanas are up for adoption out-side the society. You can reachJamie at: [email protected] Iguana adoptions.

The Eastern Hognose will bereleased this week.

Thought I would take a second andtalk about press. As many of youobserved this last week, the pressoften decides what it wants to pushand then moves the facts around tosuit themselves. I was quiteshocked to find that I was theowner of an "exotic pet ranch in St.Paul"My personal policy regarding pressis that I do not call them. However,if they call me I try to minimize theshock value and work on the "takecare of your pets" side. My belief isthat if people have the resources to

keep animals it should be theirchoice, but that animals are notsomething you should not acquireunless you are willing to take careof them.

That means that if you are a parentyou make the commitment to takecare of the animal for your childbecause they WILL grow up andmove on. Anyway, I want to thankeach and every one of you whohave taken our adoptees into yourhomes.

Without the Society as a resourcewe could very well be looking at amuch harsher climate for keepingexotics.

Thank you all

MHS Elections

By Barbara Buzicky, RecordingSecretary

MHS Board elections are comingup quickly. They will be held at the November 5, 2004, General meet-ing. We still need people to run forpositions on the board. Here is thelist so far:

PresidentRandy Blasus

Vice President —————-

Recording SecretaryBarbara Buzicky

Membership SecretaryNancy Haig

TreasurerMarilyn Blasus

Newsletter Editor —————-

Members At Large (4) req’d:Tony GambleFred BosmanMike Bush_______________

Nominations will be taken from thefloor at the meeting, along withwrite-ins. If you want to run for aposition, please talk to any currentBoard Member for further informa-tion. Included in this newsletter isa copy of the board member posi-tion descriptions.


“Herp Burn-out”by Heather Clayton

“Herp Burnout” is a very familiar termto several of us who have had to over-come it, but it may not mean much toa person who has not experienced thisyet. Basically herp burnout is whenyou have grown such a collection ofherps that you end up spending all ofyour time cleaning cages and feedingthe hungry mouths. You begin too lateto realize how much work goes intocaring for a group of animals, and all ofthe sudden it is not fun anymore.What commonly happens then is youbegin to put off the big cage cleaningday for the next day, and then the next,and before you know it, the cages arefilthy and the animals are getting sick.Once the animals start getting sick,their care becomes even more work,which then makes getting the motiva-tion to keep these guys harder to find.

Now, this does not happen to every-one. Keep in mind also that it is a veryrelative situation. What is insanelyoverwhelming to one person may notbe overwhelming at all to another.What one person can keep, anotherperson may find impossible. This ofcourse depends on your space,income, available time, etc. What hap-pens is that a person sees how easy itis to keep that one snake, so they getanother and another, and maybe thenthey start trying other reptiles and ear-lier than you think, you are no longerhaving fun.

The best thing to do in my opinion isto go ahead and start with the animalyou are most interested in and havethe most knowledge on. Meaning, getthat corn snake or whatever for now,keep it for several months, and in the

time before you get your next animal,learn everything you can about theone you want. Find out the obviousthings like what it eats, how often iteats, how much room it needs, howlong it lives, etc. Ask yourself somevalid, sometimes tough questions.Can you afford a new cage? Couldyou take your time and build some-thing cool and functional for lessmoney? Sometimes the answers tothese questions are not what we want,but we need to be realistic about whatwe are capable of and what we want todo. Then find out how much it costs tofeed it, and how much time may gointo preparing food. For example,once a week you simply thaw out amouse for that snake, but you may becutting up greens and vegetablesevery morning for that tortoise. Areyou prepared to wake up early every-day for several years to do that? If youalready have an animal that requires acertain type of diet and care, maybe aherp that is similar is the way to go forthe next one so you are simply buildingon a routine.

I do not want to imply here that keep-ing reptiles is rocket science.However, I personally believe that as“herpers” we have a responsibility toproject the best image to the public(this includes your friends). There areseveral negative stereotypes andthoughts out there about reptiles andtheir keepers. If we want this hobby togrow and gain respect, it is our obliga-tion to be aware of our limitations andkeep only what we can handle. All ofus stretch this a bit. Anyone whoknows me or has been to my houseknows I I have more animals than Iprobably should. However, if you canhave a number of herps, and keep

them happy and healthy, I do not wantto discourage you from doing so.

Now comes the part where I tell youthe benefits of the HerpetologicalSociety. I think probably the tworesources people overlook the most inbuilding their herp collection are timeand money. When I began keepingherps at age 14, I had no idea the herpsociety existed. I just read care booksand things online. I just kept gettingmore animals, and then all of the sud-den I had no money and no time for alife outside of cage cleaning and herpfeeding. I wish I had known about thegroup long before because I couldhave asked questions of people herelocally who could show and tell meexactly what they have to do each dayfor their herps. One goal I have here isto really encourage people new to theherp-keeping game to ask tons ofquestions of experienced herpers. Iwish I had asked questions aboutmoney and time requirements longago. A couple of my animals mighthave made it had I known then what Iknow now. I have not lost an animaldue to improper care for several yearsnow, and I owe that to recognizingwhen to stop getting more, and theinformation and advice I have gottenfrom experienced herpers.

Bottom line is: monitor your animals’health and well-being, for your andtheir sake. Also montitor yourself. Ifyou always feel dread at the thought ofcleaning a bunch of cages, perhapsyou have too many. Take advantageof the people you have at your dispos-al. And always continue loving theseawesome animals.§


WHAT BEN MURPHY TAUGHT ME

Some of you may know that about 3 or 4 yearsago I adopted an American Alligator from the HerpSociety. He was affectionately known as “Popeye” atthe time (and I will explain the name shortly) but Ichanged his name (much to some others’ dismay) toBen Murphy. The new name is a long story, but aslong as I get it, that’s all that matters. Anyway, he hascome out to the Renaissance Festival along with theother festies for quite some time, which is where I methim and began learning more about crocodilians, andalligators in particular. Of course I still have a lot tolearn.

While working in the gator pond this summerout at fest, a woman was asking me some thought-provoking questions about alligators. A personal onethat really got me thinking was “What do you get outof having an animal like this in your home?” Ofcourse, “Murph” (as I usually call him) is not overjoyedwhen I get home. He has no interest in me scratchinghis belly. So why do I love having him there? I justthrew out whatever I could at the time, but I’ve beenthinking about my short history with Murph ever since.I’ll tell you first why I brought him home, and we’ll go

from there.Murph was originally called Popeye because

when he came in as an adoption animal, which was Ithink well over five or six years ago, he had some pret-ty malformed forearms. The bones in his front legshad grown in such a way that he looked like he literal-ly had the trademark Popeye forearms. He must havebeen pretty malnourished and I imagine he was notkept in an appropriate enclosure. He also probablydid not have his UVB needs met either, which likelycontributed to his odd weak legs. His growth wasstunted as well. He is about 8 or 9 years old now ifthe age I heard he was when I adopted him is accu-rate. This means he was about 5 or so when I broughthim home. At that time he was only three to three-and-a-half feet. So for his age at the time, he shouldhave been closer to four to five feet.

I began working in the ‘gator pond at festalmost right away. The alligators fascinated me. Igrew up originally in Mississippi where on a regularbasis we swam in lakes these guys also inhabited.However I had never really been close to one. Ofcourse I asked Bill Moss pretty much every question I

By Heather Clayton


could think of about them. (I still am, by the way.) Soafter a long season of handling the little guy (by this Imean the alligator, not Bill), I brought him home to thepen I had built (again, not Bill). The pen was four bysix foot, with a kiddy pool for water and a basking lightfor heat. The pool had a heater and filter in it, as wellas some stone so Murph could climb out of it easier. Ialso purchased two very good UVB lights (NOTVitalites) that were four foot each and laid them acrossthe pen by his basking light. It should be mentionedthat at the time I met him, Murph could not walk wellon his front legs due to the reasons above. He could

hardly climb out of the pond at fest. His wrists wereturned a funny angle, and he could not lift himself inthat tall walk ‘gators are supposed to have. So theUVB lights and space were in the hopes that theywould help his legs improve. I was told before I adopt-

ed him that if his legs do not improve after a while, hemight be put down. This of course means I wanted to“SAVE THE GATOR!!!” I was also told he would prob-ably never get five feet, so I though this would be per-fect. I gave him what Bill had been giving him for food(Bill was fostering him for a long while as well as a fewother gators) which was rodents of the appropriatesize.At the time I brought him home, I have to admit I didnot really see him as very dangerous. He was just sodarn cute, and so darn mellow. I would sit next to hispen for hours at a time just staring at him. I would gointo his pen and do my homework or read a book.Sometimes he would even come sit next to me for awhile. I also wanted to hold him a lot to keep him han-dleable, and the only way to pick him up was to go intohis pen and do it or grab him from over the railing.Over time, he began to get testy with me picking himup or going into his pen at all. He began hissing at mewhen I approached him, and he eventually began try-ing to run from me. My response was of course tocatch him, and hold him until he realized I won. So inmy mind, this became like a competition. There prob-ably was a bit of dominance establishment going on,however now I wish I had handled the situation differ-ently. Murph needed to know I was am boss, but hedid not need to be afraid of me. The more resistant tome he was, the more forceful I became in assertingmyself. I do not believe this in and of itself is a badthing, but there was more to consider that I was notthinking of, like HOW I was grabbing him.Now, all of this time that Murph’s behavior was chang-ing, so was his body. He was growing, and his legswere becoming stronger. By the time I had him for acouple of years, he had grown a good foot or more.So I guess I now come to the conclusion that hisbehavior changing had to do with my ignorance, andhis feeling a bit better and stronger. Therefore he wasmore capable of defending himself and his territory.As he was growing, his pool and pen in general wastherefore shrinking. I did not take this into account atthe time, either. Over time, I tried to adapt to his attitude in terms ofhow I went about picking Murph up and handling him.He was becoming more defensive, so I had to becomesneakier. This is what I thought at the time. I want tomention here that I was taking “’gator handling” advicefrom someone who knew nothing of handling these

The upper xray is that of a normally developed alliga-tor leg. The lower xray is of Ben Murphy when he wasapproximately three-years old. Note the gross defor-mity of the bone structure.

guys. I guess I was listening to him because I alsothought at the time that this guy was brilliant. He’s agenius as far as engineering goes, but no ‘gator wran-gler. So I began grabbing Murph from behind on the

tail and pulling him to me. Later I learned that he wasprobably getting more and more difficult to pick upbecause I was scaring the heck out of him. Shouldhave been pretty clear to me, right? But in my mind Iwas proving to Murph that I am the one in control here.I also assumed I was grabbing him from a “safer”angle (again, not Bill. There is no “safe” way to grabBill.). But the end result was a struggle every time Iwent for him. Once I had him in my arms, he was usu-ally pretty good. This is an animal (among others) Iuse when I do hands-on programs on my own time,and of course at Fest. So kids had to be able to touchhim (all safety guidelines are followed of course). Sothe problem was not his attitude when I had him, justwhen I went to grab him up.As time went on and Murph grew bigger and stronger,I learned more from Bill and others about how theseanimals think and how our actions affect them. I eval-uated and began to experiment with my actions andhabits, and Murph’s reactions to me began to changeas well. Once I got it through my thick skull (throughexperiment and observation) that being in that positionof control and dominance over this animal carriesmore weight and responsibility than with the averagesnake or lizard, I began to gain an actual respect(instead of just an emotional fondness) for my alliga-tor. I began to realize that he understands more than I

thought. I realized that he is only displaying behaviorsthat I have taught him based on my behavior. Forexample, one thing I changed was his living situation. When I adopted Murph, I also had two cats. Almost ayear ago I gave the two cats to my mom, for obviousreasons. They very likely contributed to the ‘gator’sattitude, but that’s another story. Almost a week to theday after dropping off the cats, I came home from workto find Murph in the living room floor. He had suc-ceeded in climbing out of his pen, which I may men-tion is 30” tall. By this time, he was at least 4 feet,probably a bit more. I made a decision that day. Billhas Smiley (I’m sure everyone knows who that is)loose in his house, so maybe it would do Murph and Isome good to share the home. It was probably one ofthe best decisions I had ever made.What I tell people when trying to explain how thisworks is that alligators live in the wild in social groups.Their brains are already wired to think in terms of shar-ing a habitat. If you put one in a box, especially a boxthat is too small, they are going to get defensive. Theyhave nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. They are onthe spot all the time. Now that Murph and I (and nowJim) share our habitat, he has places in the house helikes to hide, likes to sleep, etc. He has favorite bask-ing spots and has even tried our people “baskingspots.” He has been seen more than once on thecouch, for example. While he used to hiss and backup when I walked by, now he usually sits there undis-

turbed. Now I discover that there is a prime baskingspot on our bed in the early afternoon, and Murph hasfound it. So the more time he spent out roaming the


“Chillin” with his homey, a concrete gator

Murph takes a break and relaxes on the sofa

house, the more actual personality and curiosity hebegan to show. This made it easier to appreciate hisbehaviors and his presence in a more respectful man-ner, as well as interact with him in a more respectful(and therefore safer) environment.I don’t want to EVER imply that having an alligator isa piece of cake and nothing to worry about, however.I got a pretty good lesson recently in 2003 at theRenaissance Festival. Murph got scared, he wasstressed, and he lunged at a woman’s leg who wasstanding in the pond at the time. I went in to get him,and he lunged at me. I slipped and fell in the water,and he bolted. I grabbed him by the tail and yankedhim back to me, and picked him up. (This is of coursewhere the photo “Wet Heather” came from. You allhave Bill to thank for that.) I thought I was the boss,no matter how freaked out this alligator was. Murphgot loose from my grip and as I tried to grab his throatagain, he bit my hand and just below my chin. Now, Idon’t really think he was out to really maim me; he justwanted to be left alone. I just was not listening. Thesensible thing to have done would have been to leavehim for a while to calm down. On the bright side, hecould have done so much more damage than he did.There’s some pretty important stuff in a person’sthroat, and that’s not far from where he bit. He couldhave ripped and torn, but he bit and let go. He justwanted me to leave him the heck alone. So needlessto say, I also gained a bit of respect for Murph’s spacethat day. I also had to be honest with myself aboutpaying attention to what I am doing and why, espe-cially with an animal like this. Murph is not a loosecannon, but any animal will probably fight if pushed farenough.So, back to home, living with an alligator is not some-thing to take lightly, but it is incredibly interesting andamazing, too. For example, I have to watch where Istep at 2:00 AM if I gotta go potty. Gator poo is notpleasant, and his water has to be changed frequently.Feeding is once to twice a week. When I first broughtMurph home, and for a long while after that, I fed himby hand. He took the rat right from my hand. Ofcourse, most people would say that’s crazy, butthey’ve obviously never fed an alligator by hand beforeto see how cool it is. Anyway, Murph, once he wasloose, began coming up to Jim and I with his mouthopen, looking at our hands. He never attacked ourhands, but it was beginning to make me nervous. So

I began tossing his food or dropping next to him on thefloor. Now when he is hungry he looks for food on thefloor in the room I feed him in. This is a much saferway to do it, and it’s an example of how alligators canchange their behavior based on what you do. OK, to try to get to the point again (sometimes I ram-ble, a lot of people can testify to this, sorry), I wantedto put into words what I “get” out of having an animallike this in my home. One thing I like is the ability touse him for education. That is a big part of why Iadopted him in the first place. The rest of it is hard todescribe, but I will try. There is some emotional stuffthere, but that’s all me, I’m sure. I am attached to himbecause I am his caretaker, because I adopted himand made him as healthy as I can. There is a delightin seeing him climb the barrier to the bedroom,because I know at one time he couldn’t have. I get joyfrom seeing him lift his now 5-foot body high off thefloor and ramble to his pool. It is truly awesome to meto sit next to him on the floor and just…hang out. I getto see this amazing animal every day. I have grownsuch an appreciation and respect for these creatures

through learning with Ben Murphy. I used to get whatI thought was joy from cuddling him whether he likedit or not (I still do occasionally). Now I get real joy fromwatching him just be a ‘gator and living WITH him. Iknow now that we watch each other and adapt to eachother. I do not want to express the notion that he ishuman-like in his thoughts of me. I know he is not.


The author spends a good deal of time wiith Murphand other critters educating school kids

But I know he recognizes me. I know he accepts meand my handling of him. I know he mostly trusts me.I know he gets very relaxed around me now becausehe knows we can hang out and not bother each other.Knowing what I know now of alligators in general, andmine in particular, I feel so gifted that I got this chancewith him. Maybe some of you can appreciate the sen-timents here. I hope you can, because I find it kind ofdifficult to describe. Now, because of his original bone growth issues,Murph may not live a full life. If he continues growingas he has, there may be a day when his front legs maynot support his body any more. I don’t want to thinkabout it, but in the future I may have to put him down.If this happens it won’t be for several years, so I’m notworried for now. But it may come. So maybe I holdhim especially dear to me because I know I may notbe able to enjoy his presence later. Maybe it’s justbecause I’m weird (no jokes, now). But through thefun times and the literally painful times (I’ve beenslapped by his tail on numerous occasions in numer-ous places) I have spent with this alligator, I havebecome a wiser more patient person. So regardlessof how the alligator feels about me, he has provided somuch in learning experiences and pure joy, there is noway I could not be emotionally attached. I feel I couldgo on and on trying to explain what it is I “get” out ofthis because it is so hard to find the words. All I knowis that I still get the same rush of joy and pride now(from guiding him with a staff and watching him sleepand watching him swallow those rats, and so muchmore) that I used to when I first brought him home. Istill stop whatever it is I am doing to watch him walktall across the room.I’m not really sure how to end this, to be honest withyou. So I’ll close with the statement that so many peo-ple out there don’t “get” why we keep reptiles in ourhomes. I think it is an interesting mental challengeand hopefully a learning experience one can use togain some insight through evaluate this hobby our-selves from time to time, for beginners and long-timeherpers alike. You might discover a relationship youdon’t consider very often.


Lovelorn Frogs Hop Into The Gene Pool

The Star Online, 9/19/04Spanish zoologists have discovered that male frogswho are losers in love get their revenge by spreadingtheir sperm over eggs that have been left by a pair ofromancing amphibians. The sneaky manoeuvre is dubbed “clutch piracy” bythe researchers, who say it sheds intriguing light onthe principle of mate selection among frogs and helpsexplain the creatures' wide genetic diversity. Until now, the common frog was believed to have arather humdrum sex life. The female chose a mate,who would then grasp her and, as she shed a spheri-cal batch of eggs, shed his sperm over the clutch. After a frantic froggy coupling, the couple would thenseparate, leaving the eggs to develop into tadpolesand then into frogs. But observations made by University of Vigo frog-watcher David Vieities show that, once the blissful pairare out of sight, a pirate often moves in, shedding hisown sperm over the egg clutch. The findings weaken the Darwinian idea of mateselection – that the female chooses a single male withthe best genetic selection and mates only with him inorder to reproduce. In this case, the big winner is the pirate frog, who getsthe chance of fertilising some eggs even though helost out in the mating competition. But the female, too, is also a beneficiary, because hereggs get a better chance of being fertilised, theresearchers say. The study is published in Nature, theBritish weekly scientific journal. §Herpdigest v5 #3

If you have raised kids (or been one), and gonethrough the pet syndrome including toilet-flush burialsfor dead goldfish, the story below will have you laugh-ing out LOUD! Overview: I had to take my son's lizardto the vet

Here's what happened:

Just after dinner one night, my son came up to tell methere was "something wrong" with one of the twolizards he holds prisoner in his room.

"He's just lying there looking sick," he told me. "I'mserious, Dad. Can you help?"

I put my best lizard-healer statement on my face andfollowed him into his bedroom. One of the little lizardswas indeed lying on his back, looking stressed. Iimmediately knew what to do.

"Honey," I called, "come look at the lizard!"

"Oh my gosh," my wife diagnosed after a minute."She's having babies."

"What?" my son demanded. "But their names are Bertand Ernie, Mom!" I was equally outraged.

"Hey, how can that be? I thought we said we didn'twant them to reproduce," I accused my wife.

"Well, what do you want me to do, post a sign in theircage?" she inquired. (I actually think she said this sar-castically!)

"No, but you were supposed to get two boys!" Ireminded her, (in my most loving, calm, sweet voice,while gritting my teeth together).

"Yeah, Bert and Ernie!" my son agreed.

"Well, it's just a little hard to tell on some guys, youknow," she informed me (again with the sarcasm, don'tyou think?)

By now the rest of the family had gathered to seewhat was going on. I shrugged, deciding to make thebest of it.

"Kids, this is going to be a wondrous experience, Iannounced. "We're about to witness the miracle ofbirth."

"Oh, gross!" they shrieked.

"Well, isn't THAT just great! What are we going to dowith a litter of tiny little lizard babies?" my wife want-ed to know. (I really do think she was being snottyhere, too. Don't you?)

We peered at the patient. After much struggling, whatlooked like a tiny foot would appear briefly, vanishinga scant second later.

"We don't appear to be making much progress," Inoted.

"It's breech," my wife whispered, horrified.

"Do something, Dad!" my son urged.

"Okay, okay." Squeamishly, I reached in and grabbedthe foot when it next appeared, giving it a gingerly tug.It disappeared. I tried several more times with thesame results.

"Should I call 911," my eldest daughter wanted toknow. "Maybe they could talk us through the trauma."(You see a pattern here with the females in myhouse?)

"Let's get Ernie to the vet," I said grimly.


The Lizard BirthingOriginal author unknown. Submitted by Ellen Heck and Beth Girard

We drove to the vet with my son holding the cage inhis lap.

"Breathe, Ernie, breathe," he urged.

"I don't think lizards do Lamaze," his mother noted tohim. (Women can be so cruel to their own young. Imean what she does to me is one thing, but this boyis of her womb!)

The Vet took Ernie back to the examining room andpeered at thelittle animal through a magnifying glass.

"What do you think, Doc, a C-section?" I suggestedscientifically."Oh, very interesting," he murmured. "Mr. and Mrs.Cameron, may I speak to you privately for amoment?" I gulped, nodding for my son to stepoutside.

"Is Ernie going to be okay?" my wife asked.

"Oh, perfectly," the Vet assured us. "This lizard isnot in labor. In fact, that isn't EVER going to hap-pen... Ernie is a boy. You see, Ernie is a youngmale. And occasionally, as they come into matu-rity, like most male species, theyum....um....masturbate. Just the way he did,lyingon his back." He blushed, glancing at my wife."Well, you know what I'm saying, Mr. Cameron."

We were silent, absorbing this.

"So Ernie's just...just... excited," my wife offered.

"Exactly," the vet replied, relieved that weunderstood.

More silence. Then my viscous, cruel wife start-ed to giggle. And giggle. And then even laughloudly.

"What's so funny?" I demanded, knowing, butnot believing that the woman I married wouldcommit the upcoming affront to my flawlessmanliness.

Tears were now running down her face. "It'sjust...that... I'm picturing you pulling on it's...it's...teeny little..." she gasped for more air to bel-low in laughter once more.

"That's enough," I warned. We thanked the Vetand hurriedly bundledthe lizards and our son back into the car. Hewas glad everything wasgoing to be okay.

"I know Ernie's really thankful for what you'vedone, Dad," he told me.

"Oh, you have NO idea," my wife agreed, col-lapsing with laughter.

Two Lizards - $140...

One Cage - $50...

Trip to the Vet - $30...

Memory of your husband pulling on a lizard'swacker.....Priceless!



September 2004 Treasures Report

Beginning Checkbook balance $ 1182.29 Income $5046.66

DisbursementsNewsletter ($388.30)Supplies ($77.53)Voicemail phone ($96.79)Program ($50.00)Renaissance Festival ($236.88)Rodent costs (1277.00)Clothing costs (81.60)Vet fee for adoptions ($80.00)Total Disbursements ($2698.96)

Ending Checkbook balance $3529.99Savings account $8927.45

Minnesota Herpetological SocietyTreasurer's ReportPrepared by Liz Bosman, Treasurer


Classified AdvertisementsClassified ads are free to the membership. Deadline is the night of the general meeting for inclusion in the next newsletter.1.0.0 = male, 0.1.0 = female, 0.0.1 = unsexed, cb = captive bred, obo = or best offer, + = times run ( ads are run 3 times unless specifically requested to continue).

Wanted

Frozen Rabbits - all sizes. Prices veryreasonable - pinkies to adults. Jim Daluge763.295.2818

Mice Pinkies $7/dzFuzzies $7/dzHoppers $8/dzAdults $10/dz

Rats Pinkies $9/dzFuzzies $15/dzSm Adult $18/dzMed Adult $24/dzLg Adult $30/dzJumbo $36/dz

For pick-up at monthly meetings only. Orders Must be placed at least one week inadvance of date of meeting at which the frozen rodents are to be delivered. Place orders with Jody Holmstrom at 651.224.7212 or [email protected]

For Sale Wanted: All the shed snake skins in theworld. Needed for giveaways to kids ateducational programs. Call Bob Duerr651-489-5087

For Sale: Animal Beads (keychains)Shapes include lizard, frogs, butterflies,dragonflys, ducks and sharks. $2.00 ea.Custom designs available. Will deliver toMHS meetings. Liz 651.998.0111 +

Wanted: smooth or rough green snakes,preferablely a pair of CB neonates.Young adults would be okay as well. Foruse in educational programs in Georgia,must be willing to ship to GA. We havethe required permit for the rough greens,none required for smooth greens. Pleasecontact Paul or Toni at North GeorgiaHerpetological Resources LLC; [email protected] or phone 706-864-7304

For Sale: 0.0.10 black ratsnakes(E.o.obsoleta) $10 eaContact D.K.Compton 612-872-7266 [email protected]

Minnesota Herpetological Society Membership Application

Active Memberships: Sustaining ($60/year) Contributing ($30/year) Basic ($15/year)

Corresponding Memberships: Commercial ($25/year 2 Business Card Ads/year)

Required check info. Drivers Lic # State DOBPlease enclose the proper payment with your application. Make Checks Payable To: Minnesota Herpetological Society.Membership is for 12 months from the date of approval, a receipt will be sent only upon request. Mail to: MinnesotaHerpetological Society, Bell Museum of Natural History, 10 Church St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455. Please allow 6-8 weeksfor processing.

New

Renewal

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Phone Email List in MHS Directory? Yes No

Herp related interests

GGGGEEEETTTT YYYYOOOOUUUURRRR MMMMEEEESSSSSSSSAAAAGGGGEEEE TTTTOOOO YYYYOOOOUUUURRRRTTTTAAAARRRRGGGGEEEETTTT AAAAUUUUDDDDIIIIEEEENNNNCCCCEEEE WWWWIIIITTTTHHHH AAAA 1111////4444

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$$1100 PPEERR MMOONNTTHH$$111100 PPEERR YYEEAARR**

Advertising Policies

MHS Ad Policy: The MHS assumes NO RESPONSIBILITY regarding the health orlegality of any animal, or the quality or legality of any product or service advertised inthe MHS Newsletter. Any ad may be rejected at the discretion of the NewsletterEditor. Due to space limitations, unpaid and complimentary advertisements are sub-ject to occasional omission.

Classified Ads: All active members are allowed a classified ad, run free of chargeas space permits. Ads may be ran three consecutive months, after which time theymay be resubmitted. Corresponding members are allowed a complimentary busi-ness card advertisement monthly as space permits. Due to federal restrictions onNon-profit mailing permits, we are not allowed to run ads for travel, credit or insur-ance agencies.

Submissions: All advertisements should be submitted to the MHS Editor, BellMuseum of Natural History, 10 Church St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455. Deadlineis the night of the General Meeting for inclusion in the next newsletter. Make checkspayable to: Minnesota Herpetological Society.

MHS AD RATESBusiness card $5/Month $55/Year*

1/4 Page $10/Month $110/Year*1/2 Page $20/Month $220/Year*Full Page $40/Month $440/Year*

* Note: 12th month is free on a one year commitment

*12th month is free on a one year commitment

Next Meeting:Friday, November 5th, 2004 7:00PMRoom 335 Borlaug Hall, U of M St. PaulCampus

MHS Voice Mail:612.624.7065

MHS Web Page:www.mnherpsoc.org

MINNESOTA HERPETOLOGICAL SOCIETYBELL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY10 CHURCH STREET SEMINNEAPOLIS, MN 55455-0104

Non-Profit RateU.S. Postage

PAIDMpls, MN

Permit No. 2275

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Vol. 24 (2004), No. 11

Documents

Transcript of Vol. 24 (2004), No. 11